Use this list of tips to immediately reduce your gasoline and diesel fuel costs both at the pump and while driving city and highway miles!
I have literally spent days pouring over reams of paper, books, magazines and on-line articles, all loaded with fuel saving claims; each one swearing it can save you money! I'm in the same boat as you and am searching for something or a combination of something's that can actually save me money. I'm mad as hell, and I'm going to fight back against high gas prices!
When I see major fuel companies paying their executives millions of dollars in salaries and bonuses, and the unrealistic profits oil companies are making from holding us hostage at the pumps, those reports are proof positive they are sticking it to us all. Who's kidding whom. They set their own profit margins. It makes me furious and there's not a damn thing we can do about the price of a barrel of oil or the smoke and mirrors game of supply and demand.
But, there are things we can do to curtail our personal fuel consumption. Oh sure, you can trade your pickup or SUV in on a supposed gas sipping hybrid, but we all know those mileage claims are also filled with a lot of hype. A hybrid isn't going to deliver the claimed fuel mileage, not under real driving conditions. Take it out on the open road and the assisted power is no longer assisting your mileage. Their little engines are not practical for hauling a load or towing a trailer, much less keeping up with traffic! Ah, do not get me started.
All of us need to put our heads together, pooled our network of friends, and come up with ideas that can actually help us conserve fuel consumption along with tips for better fuel purchases.
Proven tips and facts that actually work, and you won't have to trade your truck in on a tuna can to take advantage of them. Implement a couple a day, and watch your fuel consumption drop.
1) Change your driving habits! Drive as if you have an egg between your foot and the gas pedal. Your right foot determines the actual fuel mileage you get. Jack rabbit starts and quick acceleration consume a lot of fuel, upwards of 20 to 25% of each tank of gas.
2) Tune your engine. It is easy to forget to tune your engine in today's electronic age. However, it is important to refresh the spark plugs, check the plug wires and have the fuel injection system flushed, especially on higher mileage vehicles. Ten to 20% of your fuel mileage can be lost to a poorly operating engine.
3) Air cleaner. A dirty or clogged air filter restricts air flow into the engine, thus richening the fuel/air mixture. Consider installing a permanent air filter that can be frequently serviced, such as every other oil change, even sooner if you drive dusty roads.
4) Replace the fuel filter. A vehicle will act as if it is in poor engine tune, if it is starving for fuel. The culprit can often times be a dirty or partially clogged fuel filter. Most fuel injected engines use a circulating fuel delivery system, which means the gas actually goes through the fuel filter numerous times before being burned. The gas is really clean, but Filters clog more frequently. Improved engine efficiency will save you money in fuel costs.
5) Keep your Tires properly inflated, and the chassis aligned. Under-inflated Tires are dangerous and can fail, but will first contribute to fuel consumption. Low tire pressures contribute to increased roll resistance, as does an improperly aligned vehicle; both require more throttle pressure during driving.
6) Check the free roll. While you have to be safe in doing this and have some basic mechanical knowledge of a vehicle to feel and understand this test, check to see if your truck or car rolls freely. Find a flat area clear of traffic, then shift your vehicle into neutral while traveling at residential speeds. This is a good test to 'feel' if your brakes are totally releasing and that there are no mechanical problems which inhibit your vehicle during acceleration or driving. If it pulls to one side, slows rapidly, makes an unusual noise, rumble or rattle, have it checked by a professional.
7) Worn brake pads can create drag! Often, brake caliper pistons do not retract as well when they are extended, as is the case with worn disc brake pads. If you hear any brake noise while driving, have them repaired. This will save gas.
Clean lubricants. While your engine is the first thing that comes to mind when changing lubricants, other fluids become contaminated as well, and are less efficient. Consider switching petroleum based engine oils to fuel saving synthetics, or multi-viscosity oils for less friction and resistance. Same goes for the transmission and rear end gear lube.
9) Purchase regular unleaded fuel. Check your vehicle owner's manual, and use the lesser priced regular unleaded if possible. Few of today's cars and trucks require premium, so put the savings in your pocket!
10) Name brand gas is more expensive. Shop the no-name gas stations as gasoline comes from crude oil, the same crude oil as all the rest. The no-name gas stations buy their gas in bulk from the big oil companies, so pocket the savings.
11) Don't top off your tank. Once it clicks, stop. Filling the gas neck can lead to having it spill out onto the highway. That's wasted money.
12) Twist the filler nozzle. Once you have turned off the pump and completed your purchase, rotate the nozzle 180 degrees and pull the trigger while it is still inserted into your vehicle's filler neck. It may be only a cup of fuel trapped in the line and nozzle, but it is gas you paid for and it adds up. I see more and more people now performing this trick.
13) Tighten the cap. You need to seal your tank as leaking fumes are not good for the atmosphere, and are lost mileage.
14) Shop gas on the internet. There are a number of websites dedicated to saving you money by listing the cheapest gas prices in your area. Check fuel prices mid-week on sites such as Gasbuddy.com. This is my state and location http://www.kcgasprices.com/Independence/index.aspx
15) Purchase fuel during the coolest part of the day, as all liquids expand with heat, especially stations with above-ground tanks. You will get more fuel for your money.
16) Avoid purchasing fuel as it is being delivered. Gas station tanks build up moisture and contaminants over time, and all those particles get stirred up during fuel deliveries. You don't want contaminants in your tank.
17) Octane boost. Test fuel additives to see if adding a little octane boost, which increases engine efficiency, works with your driving habits. With the price of today's gas, those little bottles have become a lot more affordable!
18) I can't drive 55, but I should. Don't speed and avoid using passing gear. Stay within or below the posted speed limit. Fast driving consumes more fuel!
19) Don't weave and don't drive aggressively. Calm down, turn off the road rage and you will save gas money. When a Race car driver loses his brakes, he weaves to eliminate speed. You are working your engine if you weave and change lanes frequently and are burning excessive fuel.
20) Avoid accelerating while going up hill. Use the old trucker's trick of building up speed, but below the legal limit, as you approach a hill instead of revving the engine to climb it!
21) Unnecessary braking will consume fuel. Good rule of thumb is to drive using only your right foot, on an automatic truck that is. This will help you avoid dragging the brakes.
22) Short shifting saves gas. Racers looking to enhance fuel mileage avoid revving their engines and shift into high gear as soon as possible. Less engine RPM means less fuel consumption. You can do the same on a stick shift truck.
23) Overdrive. Most of today's trucks and cars are equipped with an overdrive gear. While lugging your truck around town at low speeds in overdrive will actually require more throttle pressure and consume more fuel, once you have reached cruising speed, shift into overdrive. Lower engine RPM results in less fuel consumption.
24) Use Cruise control. Today's vehicles are equipped with an accelerator pump which enrichens the fuel mixture to eliminate acceleration stumble. Changing engine speeds, even minor ones from a nervous foot, increases fuel consumption. Use the Cruise control and take your jiggling foot out of the equation.
25) Don't let your engine idle. Long red lights, fast food lines or just long lines of stalled traffic will eat up a tank of fuel, especially if you have the air conditioning, audio and video systems and an electric radiator fan all going at the same time. Save the fuel, shut it off.
26) Air conditioning. Rule of thumb is no air conditioning at slow speeds, even on warm days as the A/C pulls a lot of energy from a low RPM engine. On highways, however, take advantage of your vehicle's aerodynamics, roll up the windows and turn on the air conditioning. The engine will be operating at higher RPM, and will be less affected by having to power the A/C compressor.
27) Use a gas rebate credit card. My first rebate just came in the mail after I switched over to purchasing gas with a rebate credit card. Saved me 10% on fuel purchases. Just remember to pay the credit card balance every 30 days.
28) Membership gas. Numerous grocery stores and membership department stores now offer fuel at discounted prices to card holding members. Some charge a membership fee, however, you can recoup this fee within a short period of time. Check your Costco, Sam's Club and grocery stores for actual fuel prices.
29) Gasohol. Many, but not all of today's trucks and cars can operate on gasohol, an ethanol/petroleum gas mixture, typically 10 to 15% ethanol. Ethanol is produced from biomaterials such as corn, wood, straw, sugarcane and their by-products. Our dependence on off-shore crude could be reduced significantly as well as carbon dioxide emissions if gasohol production is increased and its consumption made more popular. Shop for a local station near you for the benefits, or go on line for more information.
30) Lighten the load. While it may only net you one to three percent in fuel savings, removing weight from your truck will save you gas. I'm not suggesting leaving your wife at home, but do you need those rims, tires, tool box, gas can and 100 feet of chain' If the Tires are bulging, lighten the load.
31) Don't run on empty. You can lighten the load, but running today's vehicles on a near-empty gas tank is bad for the life of an in-tank fuel pump. A fuel pump that is gulping air can have an impact on your engine's performance as well.
32) Cut your gas bill in half! Carpool and take turns driving to and from work. It will save wear and tear on your truck as a bonus. Have three or four people in your car pool and really save gas!
33) Avoid rush hour traffic. Stop and go traffic is hard on your truck's brakes and engine, as well as your wallet when it comes to fuel economy. Talk to the boss and see if you can come in early and leave early. Cut your lunch to a half hour. Just avoid the traffic crunch.
34) Multi-task shopping and errands. One trip with many stops is more fuel efficient than many trips. Curtail your driving miles for shopping and errands as well. Use newspaper ads, the internet, TV and phonebook to comparison shop to eliminate fruitless driving from store to store. Phone ahead to check prices and availability to cut down on driving.
35) Avoid engine warm ups. Today's trucks need minimum warm up times, so don't wait until the temperature gauge moves to begin driving.
36) Don't Race the engine rpm to try to speed up warming, or to impress everyone around you at red lights. This eats fuel.
37) GPS. What an idea for saving time, gas and discovering the shortest route to and from your destination. And the smoother the road, the more fuel efficient the drive. It requires more energy to drive rough or dirt roads, than paved interstate highways.
38) Traffic reports. Your truck will be a lot more fuel efficient if you don't get caught in traffic. Follow those traffic reports to cut down driving times.
39) Allow sufficient driving time. Leave ten minutes early for appointments so you do not have to rush to get there. Frustration driving can cost you at the pump.
40) Tailgate up, tailgate down. I've heard the benefits of both, however, it is illegal to drive a truck with the gate down in some states. Remove the tailgate and use an aftermarket Tailgate Net if this works for you to save gas.
41) Tonneaus and bed caps. In a recent article, we actually found we gained fuel mileage from the installation of a bed cap. Logic will tell you that reducing drag will improve the vehicle's overall aerodynamics, thus improving fuel mileage!
42) Fuel tanks, full or empty. Diesel trucks can benefit from filling the stock tank and an auxiliary tank at low cost truck stops. That's a savings. On the other hand, you have to haul all that extra weight of some six pounds per gallon. Around town, keep the fuel tanks low. For long distance driving, fill up the tanks at the low price pumps!
43) Fat tires. Remove those snow Tires as soon as possible. The tread pattern is designed to get you through mud and snow, not to generate great fuel mileage. While you are at it, rotate your Tires which will give you even wear on the tread.
44) Big bling cost dollars! Truck makers have spent millions of dollars developing fuel efficient trucks, including those stock wheel and Tires sizes. Save the tall, fat Wheels and Tires for the shows, and drive on smaller, more conservative, fuel saving tires. Shop for Tires that indicate they actually save fuel by eliminating roll resistance through stiffer sidewalls, harder compounds and conservative tread designs.
45) Aerodynamics. Strapping luggage and bags onto the roof of your car or truck may be a necessity, but it is costing you fuel mileage. Body repair may cost more than fuel, but a wrecked fender can increase drag while driving highway speeds, contributing to decreased fuel mileage. And for what it is worth, wash and wax your vehicle as well. Race cars and Race trucks are as slick as possible for a reason.
46) Avoid driving. Take the bus, train, walk, ride a bike, have the kids do the same ' all contributing to you driving less and saving money on the monthly fuel bills.
47) Buy a new vehicle. I drive a 16 year old truck that is paid for, so I will adjust my driving habits and live with it, avoiding a monthly payment. Reality is, today's cars are getting closer to a 150% increase in fuel economy and trucks are now over 75% more fuel efficient than a decade ago. A new vehicle is something to consider, if you are spending more on gas than the monthly vehicle payment. Food for thought.
48) Keep a fuel log. Having to face facts can actually help you adjust to all of the above, mostly to your driving habits. The reality is simple, it now costs a lot more to drive from point A to point B, and we all need to figure out a better way to make driving more economical. Use a calculator to determine miles per gallon, then keep track of mileage per driving habits.
49) Auto expenses. You need to file all of your auto expenses and have easy access to them. This is a good reminder for engine, chassis and brake service, as well as tracking fuel consumption to see if you are enacting these tips. Receipts are a good way to take advantage of any and all tax reimbursements.
50) Fuel saving products. While today's market is flooded with fuel saving devices that are too good to be true, and fluids, pills and powders which can prove to be no more than snake oil, there are hundreds of products that do work. Rule of thumb is, if a product can be installed which will actually enhance an engine's performance by improving upon its efficiency, it can also be used to enhance fuel economy. There are oils, additives and lubricants which have long proven themselves to the performance wise crowd that can now double as fuel misers. Likewise, there are hundreds of aftermarket induction, exhaust, driveline and ignition devices which can be installed to also make your truck more fuel efficient. This is just the tip of the iceberg, all intended to help you fight back at the pump!
